The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-05-18
CHAPTER XXI

CHAPTER XXI
Il AM YOUR BROTHER
Once more the tramp and for the last
time
1t was in the month of December Robert
Edgerly had fingered on in America since
June. Late in the autumn Brownie Joined
him. There was to be a reunion of all the
scattered Carstones in the stone house at
Christmas.
There had been change upon change, for all
but Shirley. As if to annihilate all the old
from the face of nature itself, new railway
had been built through Linwood 1t cut
through the woods where the villagers had
been wont to picnic, ON Fourth of July and
on other occasions, time out of mind This
! fine old wood had been the last bit of native
forest of any size left in that region. Now
| its picturesqueness was DESTROYED by the new
railway.
Along the iron track of the new road
walked, OF crisp, frosty morning, our old
friend Rip the Tramp. On second thoughts
yes he is our friend. He is indeed very far
gone in trampism now, and disreputable as
t'other party's record before election, but for
/ for all that won't disown him.
! No, by the holy dollar. We have been
among grand people of late, but we will not
| therefore deny our old acquaintances VOC
would not have known Rip Exposure. over
drinking. under and over feeding and wick
edneSs had written their story all over him
He skunk along, regular tramp gait. His
trousers legs were slitted to the knees. His
eyes were red and watery. The one sign that
distinguishes infallibly a tramp from every
other human being is his shoes. They are in
variably wretched, down at the heel, split out
and utterly hopeless. AS long a human
1 I.ilft laff
proclairns it by pair of decent shoes.
Rips foot covering, if you could call it
that, scarcely chung to his disreputable feet
He coughed hoarsely from time to time His
arms and knees trembled. He was bent like
| a man of 80 A doctor would have prophe-
sled that his body would be found on the dis
secting table of a medical college in three
months time.
Rip talked aloud to himself, as most uncult-
ured persons do He looked about him as
he slouched along now at the familiar wood,
now at the unfamiliar iron track of the new
railway He suddenly found himself almost
at the very spot where he knocked poor Sam
over He was uncomfortable as he recol-
| lected it.
@Achm he exclaimed, Il never meant to
kill him. The old fooli Why didn't he keep
| off? [ hain't been here since. Twas full
eight years ago. But if them Linwooders d
ketch me even now 'twould be all up with
me, l reckon. What'H L do? If l come
to Linwood, I'll be arrested Ii / don't come
to Linwood, 1 don't get my rights. As a fell
Ter might say, I'm between the devil and deep
sea-"
He stopped to cough, and went on with
his meditations aloud:
Il didn't know these woods had been cut
away so or | wouldn't a come yer in day
ls~I-% r Izf,,
anybody senses me, I'm all right. If 1 can't
But l don't know what 1 wouldn't rather
do than to face a Linwooder right here. I'd
rather take bath, by golli"
He saw something upon the track and
stopped to pick it up. He wavered as he
stopped and staggered to recover himself
Drunk agin, by Peter!" he remarked
coolly.
But Rip was not drunk.
The article he picked up was handker
chief 1t was a lady's, small, snowy and very
fine He held it up in his fingers and made q
face at it
@Be goll dinged. if 1 ever see sich a wipe a.
that! Hello, there's letters on it. Them AIM
plain English. My son, polish up your fancy
larnin' There's b and there's an 'E'-'B
E. What's that stand furl There she comes
by golll steppin' along this yer blessed tract
Brownie Edgerly. She walks as if th,
ground wasn't good enough TO hold her. Al
ways walked that way. Hay, Missiz-
Good God there's the cars,"
, The train was behind Brownie, right upol
her, and she did not know it. There was
roar as if the earth was rent in twain, anC
then darkness. The evil Rip had been work
, ing all his neglected life may be forgiven hin
for the good he did then.
, Reader, think of him kindly, after all
One of the sudden impulsions toward tn
> better that come from some unknown realn
! to the worst of men, came to Rip, and file
: all his soul in that fash of time. He darte,
forward like lightning. He nerved himsel
with all the strength that yet lay in his ono
powerful right arm, and showed Brownie OF
the track to one side.
At the same instant the engine struck hin
in the breast and knocked him off the othe
side. Then the monster sped on with its roa
!, like the wings of ten thousand angels of darl
I ness
5 Rip lay quite still He did not know
| when careful hands lifted him kindly an
e carried him to the stone house. He did nc
7 know it stir when a gentle, awestricke
q voice, Shirley's own voice, said:
@Lay the poor fellow right in there-pu
a him on my bed"
$ He came to himself and saw himself in
g beautiful room, upon snowy bed. Facs
n were around there tnat he knew, and the
q looked anxious and kindly, every one. TheI
g were Shirley and Robert Edgerly, Harr
Carstone, and the ancient doctor, now yer
y old He glanced from one to the other. The
e looked friendly.
:. @Don't-don't give me away he sal
d feebly.
d aNever, Rip, neverlr said Shirley. Don
b be afraid
le A film dimmed his eyes Blood trickle
4, from his nostrils. He had been crushed il
It ternally. Shirley wiped the blood away wit
Is moist sponge. He shuddered
u aDon'tiu he gasped- Don't put cold wat.
S on me- Water'n kill me-"
d He looked from one to the other again, an
recognized Robert Edgerly. A light can
u into his face, and half smile. He motione
family toward the Engiishman-
1e Brother said be, @win you shake ham
with nlef'
Il Robert extended his fingers to humor hir
ut The tramp's hand, soiled and clawlik
e stained with God knows what blood, ciasps
to the gentleman's hand. white and shapely, ar
Id i held IL